Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
Victoria, Victoria County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1872 the Rev. Jean Baptiste Teitien was appointed as an assistant pastor at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Victoria. There he realized the need for a separate parish to serve the area's German-speaking community. He received permission to begin a new church from the Rt. Rev. Anthony Dominic Pellicer, first Bishop of the Diocese of San Antonio, and traveled to his native Germany to collect funds for the construction of a church building. He returned to Victoria with enough money to begin construction, and in 1875 he led the first worship services in the completed building for Our Lady of Lourdes parish. After serving as pastor for sixteen years, Teitien resigned to return to Germany, where he died in 1923. Another minister who served Our Lady of Lourdes was the Rev. F.X. Heck (b. 1864), who succeeded Teitien and left in 1905 to become pastor of St. Mary's Church in Victoria. The original church building was destroyed by fire during the pastorate of the Rev. Lawrence Etschenberg (1870-1946) and was replaced with the current structure in 1924. The history of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church is an important reminder of the cultural heritage of Victoria County. (1984)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Assigned to St. Mary's in Victoria in 1872, the Rev. Jean Baptiste Teitien saw the need for a parish serving the area's German-speaking Catholics and traveled to his native Germany to raise building funds. He returned with enough to complete a church, leading the first services for Our Lady of Lourdes in 1875. After fire destroyed the original building, the present structure replaced it in 1924.
Why it matters
The parish is a lasting reminder of the German Catholic immigrants who shaped Victoria County, showing how faith communities preserved language and culture in a new land.
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Related people
- · Jean Baptiste Teitien
- · Anthony Dominic Pellicer
Themes & tags
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